Address:
2700 South California
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone:
773-869-7100
Review the following rules and procedures if you want to visit an inmate at any of the Cook County Jails.
Once regular in-person visitation returns in 2023, the following will link you to the actual visitation schedules for each Cook County Jail Division:
Video Visitation is done using Microsoft Teams Group Chat Software.
Yes, Cook County Department of Corrections, as well as all jails, allow you to visit an inmate.
By federal law, every jail must make provisions for offenders in custody, whether they are pretrial or convicted and sentenced, to receive visits from friends or family.
Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc. Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.
Before visiting, your inmate will have to have put you on an ‘inmate visitor’s list.' Jails can limit this approved list to as few as five people to as many as twenty.
The jail will most likely run a targeted background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.
There are three different types of visitation:
• Video visitation
• In-person non-contact visitation
• Contact visitation
For security and staffing reasons, many jails have switched to video visitation only. Video visitation, also referred to as remote visitation, is monitored and recorded by the facility. Video visits can either take place using kiosks in the jail’s lobby, from your computer at home, or using an app on your phone.
Most jails, now that the COVID pandemic is behind us, have gone back to ‘in-person non-contact visitation’ even if they have also retained the video visitation programs. In-person visitation takes place in a booth of sorts, with a thick plastic shield separating the inmate and their visitor. Communication is done using old-fashioned telephone receivers like you see in phone booths.
Contact visitation between inmates and visitors in jails is rare. New York is one state that allows this. In a few other states, inmates who have been sentenced for non-violent offenses and are close to being released, may sometimes be allowed contact visits with special permission. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit.
Contact visits are also often allowed between inmates and their lawyer, law enforcement officials, and clergy. The downside of any contact visit is that before returning to their units, inmates must undergo a full strip search, which is demoralizing and invasive.
Yes, prisons allow you to visit an inmate. Every state has their own limits on the minimum amount of time an inmate is allowed to have for visits from friends or family, however in federal prison, inmates are allowed a minimum of four hours per month.
Once an offender is sentenced to prison, your inmate will have to fill out a document listing you as an approved visitor. If you are not on this list you will not be allowed to visit.
The prison will then run a background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.
Most prisons allow anywhere from ten to twenty approved visitors per inmate, however each visit is limited to no more than four visitors at a time, children included. The list is compiled by the inmate.
Prisons have always allowed contact visits. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit. Some state prisons allow inmates and their visitor to hold hands, as long as the hands are on the table where the guards can see them.
However, given the ongoing problem of contraband - namely drugs and tobacco - being smuggled into the prisons by visitors, even the state prisons are moving to non-contact and video visitation. One way the visitors pass drugs to inmates is when they kiss. The drugs, wrapped in a small balloon, are then swallowed by the inmate who passes them through their digestive system later in the privacy of their cell.
The jail visitation times change often. It is advisable to contact the Cook County Department of Corrections before planning your visit by calling 773-869-7100.
If the visit is taking place at the Cook County Department of Corrections, whether in-person or by video, you will have to schedule the day and time with the jail.
Video visitation times from your home are much more flexible, often because you are not utilizing on of the few terminals in the jail lobby, and because the companies that handle the video visitation for the jail are providing inmates with hand-held computers, in addition to the video terminals they have in their units.
We try to keep up with the visitation schedules for Cook County Department of Corrections, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the schedule, you will find it on the top of this page.
Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility, including Cook County Department of Corrections, gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.
Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.
Some jails require you to make an appointment one week in advance. Others require no appointment and work off the principle of ‘first come, first served’.
Every jail is different, and schedules can change; sometimes due to an emergency, the visit can be cancelled without notice, the moment you arrive at the jail.
We try to keep up with the visitation policies and schedules for Cook County Department of Corrections, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on the top of this page.
An inmate visit can range from 15 minutes to an hour in length. We try to keep up with the visitation information for Cook County Department of Corrections, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on this page.
Typically, even though an inmate’s visit has a time limit, if you are visiting remotely from your home computer or cell phone, visits can be scheduled led back-to-back, so that even though your visit may have to start and stop every 15-30 minutes, you could visit with each other for hours at a time.
Keep in mind that video visits of this type do have a fee, as you are paying a third-party company. Prices fluctuate, based both on the company and the jail’s policy, but they typically cost about $0.30+- per minute.
Every jail makes its own policies regarding how many people can visit an inmate at one time.
The factors that decide on the number of visitors are:
1. How many people can fit into the visitation area comfortably.
2. How many staff can oversee the visitation area.
3. The more people visiting an inmate the more likely that if there is an argument, it is harder to control.
Most jails limit the number of visitors to no more than three or four, with a maximum of two of them being adults.
When doing a video visit from home, there is no limit on how many people can take part in a visit.
Every jail and every prison have their own unique set of rules that must be followed when visiting an inmate, but in general, these are the guidelines:
Most important, you must first be on the inmate's approved visitation list that they create.
• Expect to have a background check done.
• Expect to be searched, go through a metal detector or pass a drug sniffing dog.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• You must have a valid, government issued photo ID.
• Recently released inmates are either not allowed or must wait 6-12 months before being approved.
• Felons must get special permission.
• Children are allowed but must be with parent(s) or legal guardian. Birth certificate(s) or other legal proof is mandatory.
• Often babies are not allowed, but if they are, you will be allowed one diaper, one bottle and one teething ring, and maybe a baby carrier.
• Parents must be always in control of children.
• You must stay seated at all times.
• You cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• No arguments, loud voices or fighting allowed.
• No cell phones or any electronic equipment allowed.
• No cigarettes, drugs, lighters allowed.
• No purses, handbags or backpacks allowed.
• No weapons allowed.
• It is likely that your ID and your car key will be the only things allowed on the visit.
In general, all jails and prisons are the same when it comes to dress codes and what you are NOT allowed to wear to a visit. The Cook County Department of Corrections is no different.
Jails and prisons don’t want you wearing anything too revealing or too gangster. Here are some of the other types of clothing NOT allowed:
• Shorts
• Short skirts or dresses
• Long skirts or wrap around skirts
• Sleeveless clothing
• Low cut shirts or dresses.
• Underwire bras
• Skirts or dresses with slits.
• Sweats or leggings.
• Tank tops or wife beater shirts.
• Excess jewelry
• Hats or headbands
• See-through clothing
• Pajamas
• Sunglasses
• Wigs or toupees
• Uniforms or scrubs
• Heels over 1”
In general, the only thing you can bring into an inmate in a jail is either your ID and your car key, or if they have lockers, you can bring in the locker key.
Prisons are a different story. Typically, prisons have vending machines in the visitation area and allow visitors to bring in a clear plastic purse with coins in it, usually totaling no more than $40.00.
Refer to the answer above that explains the dress codes, but in general, if want to know what to wear to visit someone in jail, imagine you are visiting someone’s grandmother for the first time… wear that outfit.
There are no jails in the United States that allow contact visits as a matter of regular policy, except for jails in the state of New York. Thus, the concept of holding hands, kissing or hugging is not relevant.
On the other hand, prisons do allow contact visitors from friends and family. When this is the case, a brief kiss or hug (or handshake) is allowed at the start of the visit and the end of the visit. Holding hands above the table is sometimes allowed in prisons, but not in jails.
By law, every inmate is entitled to a visitor, whether family or friend. The only exception to that is youths that are being held in secure juvenile detention centers. The only people allowed to visit them are parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and in some cases, siblings.
In addition, they are also allowed visits from probation officers, lawyers and their caseworkers.
Video visitation, also known as remote visitation, is quickly becoming the preferred method for visiting an inmate in jail or prison for the following reasons:
• It requires little to no staff, versus the staff required to move inmates to and from the visit and watch over the visit. It saves the Cook County Department of Corrections money.
• It removes any opportunity for contraband (drugs) to enter the facility.
• It can become a profit center for the facility, given that the revenue generated by visits is shared with the jail.
• While inmates prefer to see family and friends in person, video visitation allows them to visit with them more often, and on a whim.
• Video visitation gives the inmates and their visitors the feeling of more privacy.
Video visitation from the perspective of the visitor allows them to visit from their home, their car, at work, and even allows them to take their device to a family or religious gathering. It allows them to give their inmate the feeling of belonging and not being forgotten.
Video visitation can take place on a computer, a tablet or a phone.
Video visitation saves time. Instead of spending hours driving to the jail, checking in, filling out paperwork, potentially being searched, waiting, and then having a 15–30-minute visit, if it isn’t cancelled at the last minute, the visit can be done from anywhere during a short break in the visitor’s day.
If the visitor does not have access to a phone or computer, they can make an appointment ahead of time and use terminals in the lobby of the jail.
You must also be on the inmate's approved list, even for a video visit.
There are several different companies that contract with all the jails and prisons that allow video visitation:
These are the companies in alphabetical order:
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Solutions Group
Correct Pay
Ctel
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
iwebvisits
JailATM
Jpay
Gettingintouch (netvisit)
NCIC
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tiger Services
Visitel
In addition, some jails use Microsoft Meeting and Zoom.
A conjugal visit is a visit where the inmate is allowed to spend anywhere from several hours to a full weekend with their spouse. These visits are private, not recorded, and take place in a building, and an area of the prison away from the general population.
The purpose of the conjugal visit is to keep the inmate’s relationship with their spouse strong. Some conjugal visits also include the inmate’s children. A swing set and other recreational activities are available for the children to keep occupied.
There are no jails in the United States where conjugal visits are allowed, however the state prisons in California, Connecticut, Washington and New York all allow conjugal visits.
To be eligible, you need to be married, in good standing with the prison, have taken courses that prepare the inmates for these type of visits, and other requirements.
Only California, Connecticut, Washington and New York state prisons allow conjugal visits. There are no jails in the United States that allow conjugal visits.
Other countries are much more liberal and some even allow prostitutes to visit the inmates on a weekly basis.
An inmate can get their visitation privileges suspended for their behavior both because of their interactions with staff and inmates, or disobeying policy, or because of their behavior during visitation.
A visitor can get their visitation privileges suspended due to their behavior during an inmate visit or if they violate any of the rules and regulations of inmate visits and/or other jail policies such as mail, phone, email, etc.
If either the inmate or their visitor disagrees with the suspension of their visitation privileges, they need to write a letter explaining their position to the Jail Warden, County Sheriff or the Captain in charge of the facility’s visitation.
Address the letter to:
Cook County Department of Corrections
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The letter should contain the following:
• Inmate’s full name they were booked under and their Inmate ID# (booking #, etc.). If you know the Unit # and cell #, write that as well.
• The visitor’s (you) full name, Identification Card number (driver's license, state ID, passport, etc.), home address, telephone number and email address.
• Explanation of what occurred that led to the suspension, including the date, time, who was the staff member present, whether it was a face-to-face visit or video visit.
• Why do you believe the suspension was unwarranted.
• A full-blown apology if it was accidental.
• Why it’s important to the inmate to continue visitation.
• What type of suspension you agree to if it happens again.
You should also offer to come to the jail and present your case face-to-face if they are open to the request. It is harder to turn down a person when they are directly in front of you, asking for your help.
In situations like this it is always best to keep the correspondence cordial, professional and detailed. Do not attack the staff member personally. It is always possible that the staff member was having a bad day or was still feeling anxiety or anger from dealing with a previous issue.
Being a correctional officer in a jail or prison is a very difficult thing. They have be ‘on guard’ against physical attacks, manipulations, lies and really bad behavior at all times. They are ‘the enemy’ and they know it. By putting yourself in their shoes when writing or requesting a suspension be reconsidered, goes a long towards a final resolution that you will be pleased with.
In most jails it is required that you fill out a visitation application prior to visiting an inmate. You also have to be approved to be a visitor by the inmate. Even when visiting by video, you will need to give your personal information which includes your driver’s license or state ID number.
The jail will use this information to do a quick background check on you to see if you have a criminal history or have any outstanding active warrants.
It is most likely that you will also be asked on the application form if you have ever been arrested, been convicted, or spent time in the Cook County Department of Corrections. If the answer is yes, they will want details, dates, etc. If you lie about this and get caught, you will lose your right to visits for a period. This is usually between one year and indefinitely.
If you are a convicted felon, you will have to apply directly to the sheriff. If you are a spouse, child or parent, you have a pretty good chance of getting approved than if you are just a friend. On the other hand, on rare occasions, some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow felons to visit.
If you recently did time in Cook County Department of Corrections, it is most likely that you will not be approved for a visit for a period of six to twelve months, starting on the day of your release. It is rare, but some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow previous inmates to visit, even if your previous conviction was for a misdemeanor.
As explained in the previous answer, there are generally multiple hoops you must jump through in order to be approved to visit an inmate, if you have a criminal record, specifically if you are a convicted felon, or have recently spent time as an inmate in the Cook County Department of Corrections.
However, if you are a parent of a child in jail, that is one of the rare times that the jail will make an exception and allow you to visit.
Juvenile visits are limited to parents, legal guardians and grandparents. Sometimes siblings are allowed, but this is not always the case. If the caseworker or staff of the facility believe that it's in the best interests of the resident to have siblings visit, it will be approved.
Most jails will allow inmates to receive visits from their children, however if the child is under age 18, they will need to be accompanied by an adult. Further the adult must be able to legally prove their relationship to the child using either a valid birth certificate, adoption papers or paperwork that proves they are the legal guardian.
If there is a ‘no contact’ order in place in which the inmate has lost their parental rights, and this is not disclosed to the jail, then the inmate may lose visitation rights with other visitors or lose other privileges within the jail, as this is a violation of the law.
Because the presence of children can be a distraction for inmates during visitation, and children require a certain number of things (toys, etc.) to keep them busy, many jails are now setting apart certain days, usually on the weekends, for children to visit.
Children also have to be on the inmate's approved visitor list.
To confirm the visitation rules at the Cook County Department of Corrections regarding child visits, call 773-869-7100 to speak to a staff member.
Most jails do allow babies to visit. They will require a birth certificate. And given the baby’s needs, they allow the parent to bring in extra items to the visitation room; an extra diaper, a few wipes, a clear bottle with fluid, a pacifier and a baby carrier, for example.
There are some jails however that never allow babies in the visiting room. The cutoff age is usually about two years old.
To confirm the visitation rules at the Cook County Department of Corrections regarding baby or infant visits, call 773-869-7100 to speak to a staff member.
Most people already know if they have a criminal record. Sometimes they do, but it does not show up on a background check. This is usually because the person has undergone a name change at some point, or the name was misspelled when the data was entered by the court.
The best place (and least expensive) for the most comprehensive nationwide website to find out if you have a criminal record is privaterecords.net, and they only cost $1.00 for 7-day trial.
Cook County Department of Corrections Visitation Application Process
Cook County Department of Corrections requires visitors to fill out an application prior to your visiting an inmate.
Carefully fill out the application. Incomplete paperwork is cause for denial.
Honesty is important. Violations of jail policies and guidelines that may show up on the background check – which if lied about on the application, will cause visits to be denied.
Call 773-869-7100 to ask specific questions about the application.
'At Home' Video Visitation
Video Visitation is done using Microsoft Teams Group Chat Software.
Who Can Visit an Inmate in Cook County Department of Corrections
Anyone over the age of 18, who isn't on felony probation and can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can be approved to visit an inmate in this jail.
Visitation applicants in Cook County must sometimes submit to a background check. Those with warrants are denied visitation or if allowed to visit, will be arrested at the jail.
Jails limit the number of people that can visit an inmate to two adults each visit.
Children under age 18 must be accompanied by the parent or legal guardian.
Call 773-869-7100 to ask specific questions about this policy or click here for any updates to this policy.
It is likely that the Cook County Department of Corrections will deny visitation to anyone with a past felony conviction regardless of probation/parole status.
Call 773-869-7100 prior to arriving for the specific jail guideline regarding your legal status.
If you are a co-defendant with the inmate in a pending case, your visit will be denied.
If you and the inmate are under a court order to have no contact with each other, your visit will be denied.
The Cook County Department of Corrections reserves the right to deny any person the right to enter the jail it chooses and for any reason.
Cook County Department of Corrections Visitation Dress Code
The Cook County Department of Corrections staff reserves the right to turn anyone away who is not dressed appropriately for a visit.
The best way to be sure the visit takes place is to dress as if you are meeting someone's grandmother for the first time.
The following types of clothing are also prohibited:
Call 773-674-8225 to ask specific questions about the Cook County Department of Corrections Visitation Dress Code guidelines.
Cook County Department of Corrections Visitation Tips, Rules and Guidelines
Jail visits are conducted in person behind plexi-glass or on a televised screen from another location.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and guardians must provide proof of their guardianship.
Leave all personal belongings, except for your state ID in your vehicle or in a locker (if one is provided).
Children must be monitored at all times or jail staff will end the visit early.
(Scroll down for Video Visitation instructions)
As long as there is a threat of inmates getting sick from COVID or other pandemic related illness, the following rules will be in affect for all inmates and their visitors:
Once regular in-person visitation returns in 2023, the following will link you to the actual visitation schedules for each Cook County Jail Division:
Video Visitation is done using Microsoft Teams Group Chat Software.
There are five ways to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Cook County Jail Corrections System:
In order to do any of these you need to know the exact name the inmate was booked under, and the booking number.
If you can't find the inmate and booking number online, call the Records Office at 773-674-2390.
Each week, an individual in custody can purchase up to $100 worth of clothing & supplies, and also $100 worth of food items.
1. Online or Telephone Deposits - Note that it my take up to two business days for the funds to show up in the inmate's account.
JailATM - You need to first register with JailATM in order to look up your inmate's name and booking number and deposit money into their trust fund account. They charge a small fee every time you make a deposit. If you have questions or prefer to use their phone service in order to deposit money, call them at 870-627-5476.
Western Union - First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name and booking number.
You also need to know these codes: The City Code is: CCDOC or COOK COUNTY DEPT CORRECTION
State Code is: ILLINOIS
Money Gram - First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name, AND their booking number.
You will also have to know the Receive Code, which is 1750.
For questions, concerns or to add funds via Money Gram over the phone, call 800-225-5227
2. Currency Exchange Facilities -
Deposit funds in-person at Currency Exchanges that offer Western Union or Money Gram services.
Codes:
Western Union
City Code: CCDOC or COOK COUNTY DEPT CORRECTION
State: ILLINOIS
Money Gram
Receive Code: 1750
JailATM
Visit JailATM to register or call 870-627-5476
3. Mailing a Payment -
* Money orders - $100 maximum
* Cashiers Checks - $1,000 maximum
When sending an inmate money by mail, the Cook County Department of Corrections will only accept:
If you want to send more you can, but you need to send multiple checks that do not exceed the maximum amounts listed above.
**Important Notes**
Mailing Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Booking #
Cook County Jail
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
4. Dropping off a payment at a Kiosk - $300 maximum
When dropping off an inmate's money in person, the Cook County Department of Corrections will only accept.
These Kiosks are ATM machines that are managed by JailATM.
JailATM Locations at the Cook County Jail to drop off inmate money:
The following is the procedure to pick-up money from an incarcerated male or female inmate’s money account, regardless of which Cook County Jail they were in:
Once an inmate is released, they can go to the following address, and as long as they can present a government issued picture ID, they can get the balance of their Trust Fund Account issued to them.
Division 5
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
If they don't have an ID, the balance will be mailed to the address that Cook County Corrections has on file.
If they are being released to another facility, upon request, the balance will be sent there.
Letters can be mailed to:
Cook County Department of Corrections
Trust/Finance Office – Individual in Custody Trust Fund
Division 5 Second Floor
2700 S California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
If you have any questions, call the Trust/Finance Office at 773-674-6864.
For more information, including fees, more detailed instructions, deposit limits, type of items available to purchase, and more, check out our Inmate Money page.
Cook County Department of Corrections Inmates are allowed mail in envelopes and on postcards. They are also allowed to receive photos.
They are also allowed to receive books and magazines, but not newspapers.
Mailing Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Booking #
Cook County Jail
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
To learn all the rules, policies and guidelines, and they are extensive, for sending anything in the mail to an inmate at any of the Cook County Jails, check out our Inmate Mail Page.
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Cook County Department of Corrections Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.
